Current Events
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Vice President Kamala Harris closed out the four-day Democratic National Convention with a powerful display of leadership in a speech that was both biographical and emotionally driven. Sharing the story of her family’s humble beginnings, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination for president and took the crowd through a journey of being raised in the Bay Area by her single mother and how she was motivated to succeed because of it.
Seizing on the momentum gained from the moment President Joe Biden decided to not seek reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with a command not unlike her time as senator and as Vice President, garnering applause at almost every stanza in her speech.
As she accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to become its presidential candidate, Harris kept her message straightforward and pushed back against the negative attacks toward her and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz with class. Like several speakers before her, Harris spoke about the importance of a strong democracy, opportunity for all, and a devotion to the values that Americans of all walks of life hold dear.
Harkening back to her days as a prosecutor en route to becoming California’s Attorney General, Harris reminded attendees and viewers at home that her focus then and now was to fight against criminals, give voice to those who feel they have been wrong by the system, and to never waver in the face of those who look to skirt by the legal system.
In a portion of Harris’ speech, she referenced the attempted January 6 insurrection that took place at the site of the U.S. Capitol, placing the impetus squarely on her opponent, Donald Trump. She mentioned Trump by name at several intervals, at one point saying that he desires to be an autocrat in the same vein as North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un.
With more pressing matters in mind, Harris also made certain to hit back at critics regarding border security, foreign policy, and strengthening the military, which contrasts greatly with Trump’s messaging that she is an extreme Leftist hoping to insert Communist rule in America.
Harris also spoke of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, a moment in history that pundits and observers alike feel could end up being a stain on the Biden-Harris administration. It was artful in how she still positioned her talking points to call for peace in the region and called for an end to the conflict, most especially the hostage situation, but those words may not be enough to sway some of her harshest critics who stand on the side of Palestinians.
On X, formerly Twitter, reactions to Vice President Harris accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for president and her speech were rapid as they were glowing. We’ve got the best of them below.
Here is the video of Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech by way of PBS NewsHour below.
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Photo: Getty
5. If only..
7. It didn’t happen, so….
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Source: Alex Wong / Getty
All day on Thursday, August 22 rumors were circulating that Beyoncé would be making some sort of appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Yeah, that didn’t happen.
In fact, Bey was never even on the schedule. That’s according to her longtime publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure. Guess no one bothered to ask her if Bey was going to be there?
The Hollywood Reporter was the first to confirm that Beyoncé could be anywhere in the world, but it wasn’t going to be at the United Center on Thursday night. “Beyoncé was never scheduled to be there,” her rep told The Hollywood Reporter. “The report of a performance is untrue.”
And that’s that on that.
Vice President Kamala Harris did walk out to “Freedom” before delivering her speech where she accepted the DNC’s nomination for President of the United States, though. We’d still bet good money that Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift, are going to make a campaign appearance on Harris and Tim Walz sooner than later.
Until then, be sure you vote in November.
Oh, and it was TMZ that said Bey was going to be there. So it’s getting really ugly for them on these Internets.
10. Who that?
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Source: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / Getty
Gus Walz is the son of Minnesota Governor and VP candidate Tim Walz. The 17-year-old won the hearts of millions when during the Democratic National Convention he displayed raw emotion, clapping “That’s my dad!” during his father’s speech on Wednesday (August 21) night.
While the goodwill was already flowing, Gus Walz’s legend only grew when many then learned that when he was becoming a teen he was diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. As you would guess, the Walz family was nothing but supportive, telling People magazine, “It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback — it’s his secret power.”
Nevertheless, people on the conservative right proceeded to show their asses on social media and actually mocked Gus Walz for daring to show emotion during his father’s stirring moment when he accepted the VP nomination. The worst of the bunch was easily Ann Coulter, who wrote “Talk about weird…” as a caption of a picture of Gus in tears. Of course, Coulter eventually deleted her tweet after immense backlash, but nothing is ever wiped away on the Internets.
Coulter was not an anomaly, with many a troglodyte co-signing her foolishness with similar attacks. But despite Elon Musk’s X becoming a cesspool of hate, the overwhelming reactions have been nothing but support and love for Gus Walz and his family. Social media is filled with people smacking down the attacks with accounts about their own lives with neurodivergent children and while disparaging the lack of human decency Coulter and her ilk routinely display.
See some of the more passionate reactions in the gallery.
3. Never forget.
7. Posting for archival purpose because they will deny it.
8. It’s personal.
9. We won’t condone everything written here, but we understand.
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Source: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / Getty
Gus Walz is the son of Minnesota Governor and VP candidate Tim Walz. The 17-year-old won the hearts of millions when during the Democratic National Convention he displayed raw emotion, clapping “That’s my dad!” during his father’s speech on Wednesday (August 21) night.
While the goodwill was already flowing, Gus Walz’s legend only grew when many then learned that when he was becoming a teen he was diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. As you would guess, the Walz family was nothing but supportive, telling People magazine, “It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback — it’s his secret power.”
Nevertheless, people on the conservative right proceeded to show their asses on social media and actually mocked Gus Walz for daring to show emotion during his father’s stirring moment when he accepted the VP nomination. The worst of the bunch was easily Ann Coulter, who wrote “Talk about weird…” as a caption of a picture of Gus in tears. Of course, Coulter eventually deleted her tweet after immense backlash, but nothing is ever wiped away on the Internets.
Coulter was not an anomaly, with many a troglodyte co-signing her foolishness with similar attacks. But despite Elon Musk’s X becoming a cesspool of hate, the overwhelming reactions have been nothing but support and love for Gus Walz and his family. Social media is filled with people smacking down the attacks with accounts about their own lives with neurodivergent children and while disparaging the lack of human decency Coulter and her ilk routinely display.
See some of the more passionate reactions in the gallery.
3. Never forget.
7. Posting for archival purpose because they will deny it.
8. It’s personal.
9. We won’t condone everything written here, but we understand.
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Red Bull BC One, the largest Breaking competition in the world, will make its return this year and the stakes remain as high as ever. Red Bull BC One just unveiled its 2024 United States competition schedule with the final taking place in Los Angeles.
Breaking has enjoyed quite a resurgence and much of that is due to the efforts of Red Bull BC One, which features B-Boys and B-Girls from around the globe taking on one another in a chance to represent their country for the world title. The art form that was created within the underground also enjoyed a moment in the mainstream after the 2024 Summer Olympics featured Breaking as an event.
Victor Montalvo, the bronze medalist for Team USA’s Breaking team on the men’s side, echoed the significance of Breaking being seen on the world stage in a statement.
“Before Paris, the biggest international breaking competition you wanted to win was Red Bull BC One, which has been around since 2004,” says two-time Red Bull BC One World Champion and Olympic medalist, Victor Montalvo, better known as B-Boy Victor. “Paris was the first look at competitive breaking for many people around the world, but the breaking scene has grown significantly since the 80’s. Red Bull BC One has not only played a pivotal role in my success and breaking journey, but it’s also the best event to tune into if you want a real look into the true spirit of the dance. I hope breaking’s new revival attracts even more fans to the competition.”
Source: Red Bull / Red Bull Content Pool
Hip-Hop Wired has the honor of attending past BC One events and we can attest to what B-Boy Victor expressed. The competition features some of the best dancers across the nation, and the connection within the community was beautiful to witness.
This year, the 2024 season will hold two “Regional Cyphers” serving as qualifying rounds for dancers and the winners of the qualifiers will then compete at the National Cypher in Los Angeles, which is officially the BC One National Championships event.
The first Cypher, Regional Cypher East, will take place in Philadelphia, Pa. on September 7, and the Regional Cypher West event takes place in Denver, Colo. on September 20th. Among the qualifiers will be specially invited dancers known as “wildcards” and winners of the Red Bull BC One City Cypher Series, several smaller local competitions that were held in Boston, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, and New York City.
Source: Red Bull / Red Bull Content Pool
A total of 16 B-Boys and eight B-Girls will face off at the Cypher East and Cypher West in the BC One’s usual bracket format featuring a panel of judges who are from the Breaking scene.
At the conclusion of the Regional Cyphers, the National Cypher festivities will begin on Thursday, September 26 with the annual Red Bull BC One Camp USA, which will be teeming with knowledgeable dancers and figures from the community and also a place for people new to Breaking to learn more about the sport. On Saturday, September 28, the BC One USA National Cypher will take place on the world-famous Venice Beach in California. The World Final will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on December 7.
The schedule is below. Click here to learn more about Red Bull BC One, including where to watch online.
RED BULL BC ONE U.S. SCHEDULE
● East Cypher [Philadelphia, PA]: Saturday, September 7, Dilworth Park
● West Cypher [Denver, CO]: Friday, September 20, Temple Nightclub Denver
● Red Bull BC One Camp [Los Angeles, CA]: September 26 – 27
● Red Bull BC One USA National Cypher [Los Angeles, CA]: Saturday, September 28,
Venice Beach Boardwalk
● World Final [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]: December 7, Farmasi Arena
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Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries often displays his deep knowledge of Hip-Hop music and culture during hearings and public speaking engagements. The New York native did so once more in Chicago during his speech at the DNC, aiming at Donald Trump and putting the presidential hopeful on notice.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who serves as the House Minority leader, used his time onstage to voice not only his support for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz but also share with attendees and viewers around the world his thoughts about who Donald Trump is.
The theme of this year’s DNC has been consistent with Democratic Party figures and connected media figures speaking glowingly about the potential Harris-Walz administration while painting Trump as someone who would disrupt the balance and fairness of democracy.
In his speech, Jeffries likened Trump to a relationship that went sour with the ex-boyfriend taking the split especially hard.
“Trump tried to destroy our democracy by lying about the election and inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol. Trump put three extreme justices on the Supreme Court who destroyed Roe v Wade. We broke up with you for a reason,” Jeffries is heard saying.
He added, “Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away. He has spent the last four years spinning the block trying to get back into a relationship with the American people. Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”
Something that has become custom for Jeffries is his penchant for reciting lyrics to well-known Hip-Hop songs, referencing Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s “All The Way Up” about the party’s support for Vice President Harris and the potential for the party to take back the House this fall. Republicans currently have a slim majority.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries has served as a congressman for New York’s 8th Congressional District since 2013 and is the first Black person elected to lead a major party in Congress.
Check out the full speech below courtesy of PBS NewsHour below.
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Photo: Getty
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Donald Trump finds himself under more scrutiny after a report suggested that the former president allegedly contacted Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu to halt ceasefire talks with Hamas. The reason is that the Trump campaign believes a successful ceasefire deal would boost Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz’s campaign hopes.
In a clip from PBS NewsHour shared by Parsons School of Design professor David Carroll, veteran broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff shared that she saw reporting that pointed to Donald Trump contacting Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on bringing a ceasefire with Hamas to fruition.
“The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the prime minister of Israel urging him not to cut a deal right now because it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign,” Woodruff is heard saying in the video below.
Among several negative marks that President Joe Biden’s administration has suffered in the eyes of voters is what is seen as a blind support of Israel in its battle with Hamas with many believing the administration is funding a genocide. Under President Biden’s orders, Secretary of State Antony Blinken just completed his ninth visit to the Gaza region where the Israel-Hamas conflict continues to unfold and was once again unable to garner a truce.
If the reports that Trump reached out to Israeli leadership regarding the ceasefire deal, it would be considered by some to be a violation of the Logan Act.
The Logan Act, established in 1799, is a law that states, “Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.”
During the Trump-Pence administration’s time in the White House, Trump accused former Secretary of State John Kerry of violating the Logan Act for reportedly having talks with Iran, and in 2015, Democrats and others charged Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas with violating the Logan Act after he enacted a coalition of Congress members to oppose President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. Further, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack accused Donald Trump of violating the act when the convicted felon and former reality television star encouraged Russian hackers to go after Hillary Clinton’s email account during the 2015 presidential campaign.
Carroll added in his string of replies on X where Woodruff may have gotten the information regarding contact between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu by sharing a report from Reuters that says Axios was the first to mention the talks between the pair earlier this month and confirmed via sources. However, Netanyahu’s office says that the discussion with Trump regarding the ceasefire never happened as reported by Axios.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty / Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan got caught in 4K, making a complete a** out himself.
TMZ Sports exclusively shared a video of the WWE Hall-of-Famer talking about allegedly performing wrestling moves on Vice President Kamala Harris while promoting his beer at a bar in Medina, Ohio, on Monday.
The iconic wrestler, who also was caught on tape saying the N-word with the hard ER, also used the moment to take a page out of the MAGA GOP playbook by questioning VP Harris’ racial identity.
Hogan might have realized he had crossed a line blaming his violent rhetoric on the booze he was drinking.
Per TMZ Sports:
The Hulkster was at the Thirsty Cowboy in Medina, Ohio promoting his new beer Monday night when he grabbed the mic and started firing up the crowd … and things quickly flew off the rails.
Hulk asked the place … “Want me to body-slam Kamala Harris? Want me to drop the leg on Kamala?”
Hulk took some more shots at Kamala in Ohio, including mocking her Indian heritage, and making a racist gesture referring to indigenous Americans. So … racist and ignorant, if you’re keeping score.
At that point, Hulk seemed to realize he may have taken things too far … and said it was just the beers talking.
https://twitter.com/tltown2019/status/1825977905375228332
Hulk Hogan Is Team MAGA All The Way
Hogan threw his bandana into the political space when he appeared during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He happily ripped off his shirt, revealing he was down with the MAGA movement.
His jabs in the video should be no surprise because we know how Team MAGA gets down.
Folks on X, formerly Twitter, have been hitting the Hulkster with Stone Cold Stunner, calling him a racist and expressing disappointment in the once-beloved professional wrestler.
Welp.
He is never beating the racist allegations.
In the gallery below, you can see more reactions to Hulk Hogan making an a** out of himself.
1. We been on the energy
2. Wrestling gods if you’re listening
3. You think?
5. Lol, facts
7. You know that is not happening
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Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
Roll call votes at political conventions are often seen as routine, even dull, but on Tuesday (Aug. 20), the Democratic Party turned tradition on its head, delivering an electrifying dance party during their convention.
DJ Cassidy, dressed sharply in a royal blue satin double-breasted suit, set the stage by spinning a carefully curated playlist that captured the essence of each state and territory as they pledged their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris. What unfolded was a musical journey across America, featuring everything from Detroit native Eminem’s iconic “Lose Yourself” for Michigan, to Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” for Massachusetts, and Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” for California.
Georgia’s delegation took the celebration to the next level, with Atlanta’s own Lil Jon making a live appearance at Chicago’s United Center, energizing the crowd to the beats of his hit “Turn Down for What,” a collaboration with DJ Snake.
The Democrats’ approach was clear: they aimed to infuse their convention with joy and optimism, a vibrant counterbalance to the serious messages about the importance of defeating Republican nominee Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
This year’s roll call echoed the innovative video roll call of the 2020 convention, held during the pandemic, which famously featured Rhode Island’s calamari presentation. That moment set a high bar, compelling the Democrats to up the ante in 2024. (Ironically, the chef behind that tray of calamari was later revealed to be a Trump supporter.)
Emerging political leaders like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear were front and center during this year’s roll call. The star-studded event also featured movie director Spike Lee representing New York and actor Sean Astin, known for his role in the football film “Rudy,” joining the Indiana delegation.
While the musical choices brought a festive atmosphere, they also carried a degree of risk. The 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago is still remembered for the awkward spectacle of delegates attempting the Macarena to Los del Río’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix).” That moment continues to circulate as a lighthearted political memory decades later.
Florida made a pointed statement by choosing Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” as their roll call anthem, subtly jabbing at Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Petty, a Gainesville native, had his song co-opted by DeSantis for his unsuccessful presidential primary campaign, making Florida’s choice all the more symbolic. “Florida is worth fighting for,” declared state Democratic chairwoman Nikki Fried, emphasizing the importance of national Democrats investing in a state that has shifted sharply to the right.
Other musical highlights included Alabama’s inevitable choice of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” Alaska’s nod to Wasilla’s own Portugal. The Man with “Feel It Still,” and Minnesota’s tribute to Prince with “1999.” Indiana, with Astin at the helm, played Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” Nevada went with Las Vegas-born The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” Kansas opted for the rock classic “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas, and New Jersey paid homage to Bruce Springsteen with “Born in the USA.”
Despite the celebratory tone, the roll call wasn’t without its poignant moments. Texas delegate Kate Cox shared a personal and emotional story, recounting how she was forced to seek an abortion out of state after being denied the procedure by the Texas Supreme Court. Amid this backdrop, Cox joyfully announced that she is expecting again, with her baby due in January.
Under the Democratic Party’s rules, Vice President Kamala Harris was the only candidate to receive enough nominations to be formally entered into contention. Votes cast for other candidates or as uncommitted were recorded as “present” during the earlier virtual roll call. Tuesday’s lively and symbolic roll call was a reflection of the results of that earlier vote.
The Democrats’ roll call vote, transformed into a joyous celebration, showcased their commitment to energizing their base while delivering a powerful message of unity and purpose.
The full list:
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Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty
During the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) kicked off her speech by noting that she and Vice President Kamala Harris “share a lot in common,” specifically, the fact that they “both graduated from historically Black colleges.”
Butler’s show of HBCU love to Harris was a pretty uncontroversial thing if you ask Black people since we tend to be pretty well-accustomed to the pride HBCU alumni take in their alma mater. To us, the nod to HBCUs by Butler, who attended Jackson State University, was simply a good look for the culture on the national political stage. But to white and fragile America’s favorite Karbon Kopy Karen, Megyn Kelly, what Butler said was a clear affront to white people.
“Laphonza Butler spkg – (she filled Feinstein’s seat) – celebrating that she and Harris both graduated from historically black colleges. Imagine the white person up there: I’m proud to tell you I went to a mostly white university!” Kelly tweeted.
Now, no one should have needed to point out to Kelly that HBCUs only ever existed because white people didn’t want Black people learning in the same classrooms as them, just as no one should have to point out that “White History Month” isn’t a thing because, in America, white history is celebrated by default the other 11 months of the year. Of course, like the rest of white conservative America, Kelly ignores America’s racist history, which is why she once defended blackface and claimed it’s not racist. Kelly also ignores her own hypocrisy, which is why she thinks a shout-out to HBCUs is racist, but she didn’t think it was racist when she insisted that Jesus and Santa Claus are white and should only be depicted as white.
Instead of utilizing a smidgeon of common sense, Kelly set herself up to get dragged by the fine folks on X, most of whom offered her the history lesson she shouldn’t have needed.
Check out the reactions below.